$1 Trillion to cover 11 Million people

According to the Associated Press, 37 Million people would remain uninsured under the legislation discussed in Kennedy’s Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. If there are 48 million uninsured, now (not, more below), then one trillion dollars to cover an additional 11 million people.

Can you imagine? There’s no coverage at all for people who aren’t eligible for Medicaid, but who make less than 150 percent of the Federal poverty level ($33,000 for a family of four.)

Of course, some of this cost comes from subsidizing families of four who make $110,000 a year. In fact, 60% of the cost will be in the subsidies for people who make 150% to 500% of the Federal poverty level.

(We won’t mention the cost of regulating restaurant menues and forcing the placement of nutrition information on those menues and on notices next to each item on a buffet line. Or the as-yet uncounted costs to the chefs who must calculate and document their recipes in order to know those nutrition facts.)